One of my favorite TV shows is the FX series, "Louie" featuring the comedian Louis CK's biting observational humor. Last week's episode had Louie bumping into a doctor (played by Charles Grodin) he previously went to for treatment of back pain. In that episode, the doctor basically told Louie that there was nothing he could do to help, since humans were meant to be horizontal and not vertical and that's why we have back pain. During their second encounter Louie tries to get some advice about whether or not he should date a woman who will be leaving the country shortly and likely never to return. The doctor looks put off- wondering why Louie is bothering him for advice. The doctor is walking a three-legged dog and asks Louie, "How many legs does this dog have?" "Three," Louie answers. The doctor replies, "The correct answer is he has enough legs." Further in the conversation the doctor poses another question,"Do you know the only thing happier than a three-legged dog?" Louie shrugs. "A four-legged dog."
The point seems to be there almost always is somebody worse off than we are and part of life is learning to be happy with what you have.
Thompson has been trying to teach me this for years...
Even though we all know this...that there are so many others worse off than we are, it seems that perhaps until it comes to us in a lesson or a message that we can relate to we don't pause to reflect. There seems to be a lot of wisdom in that show. A rarity.
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